Parental Conflict Styles Experienced by Adolescents in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu Township, Kenya

Abstract

Conflicts between parents contribute to emotional disruptions in adolescents and their preoccupation with the psychological climate at home. The purpose of this study was to explore parental conflict styles experienced by adolescents in selected public secondary schools in Kiambu Township, Kenya. The study was anchored Using Gottman Theory as a theoretical lens. Descriptive research design was used. The study focused on five selected public secondary schools situated in Kiambu Township Constituency of Kiambu County. The target population was 5,400 students. A sample size of 373 students was used. The study utilized stratified sampling to proportionally distribute students across schools and levels. The Conflict Resolution Behavior Questionnaire was used. Descriptive statistical technique was used to analyse data, which was then organized and presented in a structured format, making use of figures. Results showed that validating parenting style was the most dominant (73%), followed by avoiding conflict style (50%), and volatile parenting style (49%) while the least common parenting style was hostile parenting style (35%). From the findings, it can be concluded that validating parental conflict styles are relatively common among parents in Kiambu Township, and this serves as a protective factor for adolescents. However, the existence of a significant minority who do experience hostile conflict highlights that some adolescents remain at risk of negative psychological and behavioural outcomes, thus underscoring the need for targeted family interventions to reduce hostility in conflict situations. It is recommended that parents be sensitized and trained on the benefits of adopting validating conflict styles, as these promote healthy social development in adolescents.